DISLAIMER: I own nothing, not even my own brain.
Aly Spy: I will try, though the voting is leaning in favor of Dom....Though, I will try!
DrStrangelove007: I don't know what it will be yet.
The ORIGINAL Meathead: You'll have to wait and see! As in, read this chappie!
Kirjava Deamon: Thankz for the feedback!
Magical Proof: Lol.
soccerchick-08: Thankz! Maybe next fic?
The Midnight Line: Thankz! Don't worry. I have gotten many death threats before!
On to the show!
Kel listened carefully to what the Lioness said. Their plan seemed to be well planned. Since Alanna herself had done it. Masquerading as a boy to become a knight had definitely worked for the legendary Lioness.
"How am I going to hide my looks? All of my friends know what I look like. And I don't want to use magic so that I may prove that I did it all by myself." Kel looked at Alanna. She looked at George and he smiled. Rising he went to a cupboard and opened it. They were sitting in the Baron's office and had eaten their fill.
"Here." George took out a small round glass bottle. The contents were black.
"Am I going to paint myself?" Kel asked jokingly. George took the bait and laughed as well.
"No dear," Alanna said smiling. "That is hair dye. It will be enough for the year and no matter how many times you wash your hair, it won't wear out until then." Kel looked at the bottle anew.
"What am I going to do about my looks? I mean, I love my eyes and complexion enough, but all my friends will still recognize me," Kel thought of Neal. "Neal will definitely recognize me." Thinking of her old friend made her eyes sting. She carefully schooled her face back to her mask.
"Well, for the complexion, I fear you will have to wear powder." Alanna said as Kel actually cringed. George chuckled and went to the cupboard one last time. After he drew out another glass bottle, this time very small, he locked the cabinet.
"This is for your eye," Kel looked at George, raising her eyebrows. "No, it isn't spell. But it is a potion and it reacts with the color of your eyes. And with hazel, it seems to turn them grey." He sat next to his wife and scratched the back of his head. Kel let it all sink in.
They really did have this planned the whole time. They knew that Lord Wyldon wouldn't let me train. Kel steeled herself another glance at the couple. Why do they care so much? Is it because I am "The Girl" who actually wanted to do it?
"Kel, you don't have to do this. With what I have heard from Roald and Neal, I thought that maybe you would want to." Alanna said looking at her hands. She was slightly flushed.
Kel was wide-eyed. She really did care about ME! Not just because I wanted to become a knight, but I was DETERMINED! Elation swamped all of Kel's senses. Making up her mind, she lifted her head and nodded sharply.
"Good, we start tomorrow. We have to change the way you walk!"
The next few weeks found Kel training harder than she ever had in her entire life. It was worse than living in the Yamani Isles. Her walk, her intonations and her way of speaking changed. George and Alanna helped her school her expressions, but not like a Yamani mask, but enough so that she wouldn't give herself away. It was two weeks until the new training year started and Kel was given a final test.
"We have a couple guests arriving for dinner tonight. This is the beginning. But if you are found out, I fear that it won't work." Alanna said sitting back in her chair. They had just finished their midday meal.
"Do you really think that I am ready?" Kel asked as she looked at the Lioness. They had been experimenting with her talking style for the last few days and she decided that she needed to be more direct when she spoke.
"Yes." Alanna looked at Kel and chuckled. "Things are going to be easy for you. When I did this, I didn't have anyone training me!"
Kel also chuckled and stood up, stretching. "I think that it is time for me to try out the dye and eye potion." She headed to the door. "Alanna, what is my name going to be? And where am I going to be from?"
"I thought that we would have decided that long ago. And quite frankly, I just plain forgot!" Alanna stood and paced the room. It was a lovely sitting room with a large window that looked out to the bay of Pirate's Swoop. Kel returned to her sitting position near where the Lioness was pacing.
"I know what I would like to be called." Kel said as she lounged leisurely in a large armchair. When Alanna paused and looked at her, Kel knew that she was open for ideas. "How about Lucas? He was a friend of mine before we left for the isles. Though he died of a fever."
Alanna though the name over. After much consideration, she finally nodded her head. When Alanna dismissed her, Kel had to pause at the door. "Where am I going to be from?"
Alanna smiled mischievously. "That, you will learn tonight!" Kel rolled her eyes, she didn't much mind surprises, but the ones she got from the Lioness always shocked the wits out of her. Her surprise was soon apparent as the guests arrived in the courtyard. When Kel looked down she nearly fainted. It was Neal and his father Duke Baird who had ridden into the keep. When saw a straggler, Kel nearly laughed. Sir Myles' appearance wasn't as much a shock that Kel was actually surprised by herself.
Relaxing her nerves, Kel checked her appearance in the mirror. Her black hair was cut to her ears and her blue eyes still took her some getting used to. The black breeches she chose off-set the bright white shirt and brown tunic she had chosen to wear to dinner. She didn't much like the flash, but 'Kel' was gone, and Lucas was there.
"Luke dear, come greet your uncle." Came George's voice through the door. Kel was rocked. Uncle? Am I going to be related to Neal? Then her wits returned. Bloody brilliant!
Kel opened the door and George gasped. "I barely recognize you." He said softly as he led her down the stairs to the waiting party. Alanna smiled smugly at Kel's appearance. Kel just shrugged and smiled at the guests.
"Father, here is your nephew. I told you we didn't kill him." Alanna said to Sir Myles. Sir Myles didn't even hesitate. He wrapped Kel into his arms and then quickly stepped back.
"Good to see that you have survived your cousin's training." Sir Myles said as he looked at Alanna.
"Of course she did, I wasn't as bad as you thought." Kel said indignantly, playing her role as an eleven year old. She looked at the other two. "Since my family has been so rude, I must ask my cousin to introduce me to you."
"Ah, sorry about that." Alanna laughed and looked at Kel. "Luke, this is Duke Baird of Queenscove and his son, Nealan." Kel bowed to the Duke and to Neal, but a smaller one.
"And this is my nephew, Lucas of Olau." Kel raised her eyebrow at Alanna as Neal bowed and Duke Baird nodded. She made sure that neither men saw her movement.
"I am deeply glad to meet you. Alanna has told me much about you." Kel said politely. Then she looked wickedly at George who just grinned.
"I hope some good." Neal said as he saw he exchange between them. Kel just turned to him and grinned.
"Of course Lord Nealan." Kel said and in her mind she expected his retort. But when it never came, she was quite disappointed. Something else entirely had grabbed his attention. When Kel looked, she cringed as she saw her old practice glaive she had given Alanna.
"I recognize that," Neal looked over to George. "What ever happened to Kel?" Kel felt like hugging her friend, he looked quite close to tears. What are you doing? Going to give up the charade even before it starts?
"Oh, Kel." George looked at Alanna and sighed sadly. If it wasn't her future at stake, Kel would have laughed. Alanna would have made a very good player.
"Well, Neal, why don't you go with George and Luke, while I explain the sad details to your father and Myles?" Neal turned white at what she said. George grabbed him firmly by the shoulder and they left the receiving hall. As they walked she could hear Alanna start the story.
"When they were a week's ride from here, Kel decided to go out on her own...." Kel smiled smugly and followed George as he led them into his private study. She had been here only a few times as she had learned to change her speaking style.
"So Neal, what do you think of my cousin?" George asked as they all sat in comfortable armchairs. Neal looked quickly at Kel and then back to George.
"I thought you were going to tell me about Kel!" Neal burst out as he jumped out of his seat.
"Oh Neal, just hush up." He looked stricken and just stared at George. "I asked you a question."
"Well, since he is still here in the room, I am going to find it rather hard to answer that." Neal paced and then looked at the two. "I think Luke, sorry for saying, is rather too sure of himself and will taken as a prig when he arrives at the palace."
"Okay Kel, now you know what you need to work on." George said and as Neal gasped. He looked closer at Kel and then gaped.
"George, how am I supposed to convince everyone if you are telling Neal?" Kel didn't care because within moments Neal wrapped his friend in a tight hug. They stood there for a while as Neal just laughed.
"I can barely recognize you." Neal said brightly, inspecting her disguise. He was staring into her eyes when she noticed he was too close for comfort.
"Do you mind?" She stepped back and sat in her chair again. She was intensely happy to see her friend again. Her heart was beating fast, but she was confused when her stomach did flip-flops. What is wrong with me?
"So, you are going to do what the Lioness did then?" Neal inquired. Kel nodded and George rose from his chair.
"I will you two alone, it looks like a little catching up is in order, and don't forget what he said about what you need to work on." George left and closed the door behind him. They sat in silence, Neal staring, Kel trying to look anywhere but at him.
"Wow, how did you do it?" Neal asked sitting up in his seat.
"What? Oh, my hair and eyes?" Neal nodded. "Well, George gave me a hair dye that will last for the year and an eye potion to change the color. I insisted on no illusions." Neal nodded, knowing that she didn't want that to be a conflict.
"No that I look at you, your skin still looks like Kel. But if I didn't really look at it, you could just be 'Luke.' But what about when, you know." Neal blushed as Kel laughed, really laughed with her friend. Neal was surprised. She was usually hidden behind a mask, but no longer.
"What do you think happened with Alanna? I will find a confident friend who will help me." Kel looked hard at Neal, who raised his hands in admission. "But I will also have to imitate a new voice. I find that even over the summer, it is hardly recognizable. But boys voices change, and so I will have to do so as well." Kel grimaced. She didn't look forward to that.
"I guess smuggling you out of the city a smart idea." Neal said smiling.
"Yeah, but I really wanted to be 'Kel.'" She said gloomily. "No one will know that I am a girl, and that girls can do anything once they put their mind to it."
"Kel, you will always be 'Kel.' But as Luke you have the benefit of actually voicing your opinions, instead hiding behind your mask." Neal said literally. She knew he was right, but didn't want to admit it. Life was going to be easier as a boy than as 'Kel.'
All right. That was chapter 2. Review and whatever!